Kenzie's life
by Alva Cullen
Summary: Jamie's daughter goes back into the past to find him and live with him. Will she be accepted by her father? What would happen if Claire came back? Disclaimer: Diana Gabaldon is the genius who created the story, and owns all rights.


I woke up to hearing the birds chirping outside my bedroom window as the sun comes up one spring Saturday morning. I am so happy that there is no school today, even though it is my first year, however mamma has been teaching me how to garden and sew and do the laundry by hand as well as clean. Da has been teaching me how to take care of the animals on our farm, he always does the morning chores, So I don't have all day to play but mamma does let me play in the mornings when I don't have school. I run to my closet and grab my favorite red dress and headed down stairs to the kitchen for a breakfast of cereal and orange juice.

"Madainn mhath, Mama!" I said.

"Madainn mhath, Kenzie" Mama replied.

I ate fast as I only have the morning to do what I want. I went and put my bowl and cup in the sink and went to Mama.

"Can I go play now?" I asked.

""Aye, you may." She said while cutting out the squares for the quilt that she was working on.

"Tapadh leat, Mama." I said as I ran off to get one of my books from my favorite series, The Lion, the Witch and the Wardrobe, It is about traveling to another place, with adventure and fantasy. I then went to the attic to read which is one of my favorite places, where I am by one of the two windows up there that lets light in. I have a pile of blankets to make it comfortable to sit and Mama has even came up to find me sleeping every once and a while .

"Ahh," I said as I tripped over a chest that I have not seen before.

My book forgotten, I opened the chest to find some old items that were still in there packaging; a fìor-forodha agus stàilinn, a small knife, and a funny looking horn with a bag on it. There are some funny looking clothes as well, all in different sizes. A pink baby blanket and a pink teddy bear with Boston Massachusetts on the foot. I found a folder at the bottom of the chest that had my name on it. So being the curious little girl I am I opened it up and there were some old news letters from 1946 and 1948. The one from 1946 "Claire Elizabeth Beauchamp Randall was supposedly taken by fairies yesterday on the second of May nineteen forty six. Husband Frank Wolverton Randall is rewarding anyone who has information with two hundred pounds." The other one from 1948 reported "Claire Elizabeth Beauchamp Randall has been returned from the fairies two years after her disappearance. She is three months pregnant as well. Husband Frank Wolverton Randall is beside himself that she is back." There is a Boston Times as well form the day I was born. "Claire Elizabeth Beauchamp Randall and Frank Wolverton Randall would like to announce the arrival of their baby girl Brianna Ellen Randall born the 23 November, 1948." There is also a blank birth certificate with just Father Frank Wolverton Randall and Mother Claire Elizabeth Beauchamp Randall and sex girl filled out, and an adoption certificate that has the same names as well as mine and my parents. There is also a few journals that are written in both Gaelic and English in the chest. I put all of the papers back in the folder and ran down stairs to find mama.

"Mama, where are you?" I called.

"In the living room, Mo nighean." Mama replied.

I ran in there to find Mama had put away the quilt to she was working on to knitting a blanket on a loom with dark green yarn.

"Mama, what is this? Why does it have my name on it?" I asked.

"Well, Kenz, we should wait until your father gets home as it is something that we all should be here to talk about. OK?" I nodded, " Why don't you go and start the afternoon chores?"

"Ok, Mama." I said and I ran off to get my shoes and jacket and out the door I flew. Once I got to the barn I had just started to get the food out for the horses when my father's car pulled into the driveway.

"Da your home!" I exclaimed as I ran to hug in lag.

"Aye, Kenzi, I here Mo ghruag ruadh" Da said and gave me a hug. He ruffled my hair and said, "Go and finish your chores. I'm sure your mother with have supper finished soon."

"Aye, Da." I stated and started off to the barn again to tend to the horses and the cow.

I walked into the house and Fiona was sitting at the kitchen table waiting for me with a sad expression on her face.

"Hey what's up?" I asked

"Oh, Henry! Kenz found the newspaper articles about Claire." Fiona said, "We need to talk to her about it."

"Ok, no problem. We knew this day was to come." I said, "I will go back out and lend a hand to help her with the chores." I got up from the table and walked out the door to find my daughter. Just as I was ready to reach for the handle Kenzie came walking through the door with straw and hay in her hair.

"Kenzie why don't you come into the kitchen your mother and I need to talk to you."

"Aye, Da." Kenz said.

I sat down in my usual spot at the table looking between Mamma and Da waiting for them.

"Kenz, you remember finding the newspapers earlier in the attic?" Mamma asked.

"Aye." I said.

"Well Kenz that is you your real mother. We adopted you right after you were born." Da said

"She didn't want me?" I asked all sad.

"Oh Kenzie it's not that, she doesn't know about you. Her husband was the one that didn't want two children. She had twins. The man that she is with is not your father." Mamma said.

"We will tell you all about your father and family. I promise." Da said.

"Your father Jamie Frazier had red hair with a little curl to it. He fought in the battle of Culloden. Your mother Clair Frazier Randall is a traveler and a healer. She went through the stones at Craigh na Dun." Mama started.

"Ye Mother and I found your Aunt Jenny's diary and there was a drawing of your mother in there. When we saw the news article we followed your parents to America where Clair gave birth to two beautiful girls and Frank gave you up saying it was just too much to handle with having two children that is a constant reminder of the fact that his wife had some other man's child." Da said.

"We saved every bit of information that we could find on your parents so you could know who they are. As well as knowing where you came from." Mother stated.

"Your mother and I were going to tell you when you were a little older. However, now is a good time as any. We are trying to teach you how to survive on your one for a day or two while you travel by foot or even by horse to Lallybroch in your time to be with you Father." Da said.

"That's why you have been teaching me how to do chores around the farm as well as all the cleaning and dress making" I said.

"Yes Kenzie we have. We want you to travel back in time to your father it would make him so happy to see you. Don't get us wrong we love you, but we also know that we can't hold you back either." Da said.

"So I will get to meet him?" I asked.

"Yes" Mama said.

"In fact ye'll be living wi him."

"But Da, why?"

"Because, he is your father and we have been teaching you how to survive in the wild so you can be with him. I know if I were in his place I would love to have ye wi me. We have been saving every old shilling that we can find." Da said

"I have a dress for ye to try on that would be perfect for the eighteenth century. You are going to have to learn how to barter with some clansmen." Ma said.

"Tomorrow ye ma will take the car to Lallybroch which is where ye Da lives after dropping us off at Craigh na Dun and we will be walking there to meet her." Da said.

"Ok do I have to pack anything."

"Yes, but not what ye think." Da stated. "But I will help ye tonight before bed."

"Ok, Da. Ma what's for dinner." I asked.

"Well how about spaghetti since I know it is your favorite and we have a long five days ahead of us." Ma said.

"Ok Mama, I will go wash up now" I ran off to the bathroom and got cleaned up as mama finished dinner since I could already smell it. I ran back to the table to help set it and we ate in silence for the rest of the meal. I helped Ma with the dishes and then ran off to go find Da in his study.

"Ok Da, dishes are done are we going to go pack?" I asked.

"Aye we are." he said. Da picked up a couple funny looking bags,the first looked like a small backpack, the other looked like a purse. Then I ran off to my bedroom and Da followed me there. I was looking at my cloths trying to figure out what my favorite was to pack when Da finally caught up wi me. "We don't need anything in here. Come on let's get down to the living room." He took my hand and together we descended the stairs. Da sat on the floor with the chest from the attic and he pulled out the funny looking stuff. "This is your flint and steel it is to help you make a fire, it is call fìor-fhiodha agus stàilinn in gaelic; then there are polypores that you can pluck off from tree trunks to use as kindling. This is your hidden dagger it goes in your stockings, it is called a sgian dhu, only use it as necessary.

I will be showing you how to catch fish as well as cooking them. We will have eggs for you as well as some bannocks and jam. Those will get packed fresh for you both tomorrow and when you go through the stones." Da said.

"Ok Da."

"Kenzie it is time for bed, you have a week ahead of you." ma said.

"Ok, Ma. I love you. Night Da, I love you too." I said.

"Night Kenzie. We love ye too." Ma and Da said in unison.

That night I went to bed and was tossing and turning all night. The next morning ma was at my bed waking me up.

"Kenzie it is time to get up and get dressed. I have your clothes right here for you."

"Those are funny looking" I said.

"They are the traditional clothing for the eighteenth century." Ma said.

"Ok" I said. "Ok first you put on your shift, it is the white gown with the string as the neck," Ma was saying as she helped in into it. "This would double as ye nightgown so it never comes off unless you are changing it. Ye kin."

"Aye Ma."

"Good. Then ye socks they have a tie on then so they do not fall down. Then ye bodice it is your shirt, then ye petticoat and underskirt, they are both white, however your petticoat is just straight and your underskirt has the pleats. Then is your overskirt, that is your colored skirt. This is called an earasaid I got it in the clan Fraser tartan that ye Da and Ma would have worn at that time. That way ye Da kens who you are." The skirt was blue plaid with red and white stripes. "Now for the stomacher and laces ye have to keep in mind that it goes for the bottom to the top the sleeves are attached by yarn and slightly pulled away. Lastly are ye shoes. They will protect ye feet for the most part but make sure you dry them out nightly by the fire."

"Ok,Mama."

"Are you two ready in here?" Da asked

"Aye, we are" Mama responds

We got into the car and then off to Craigh na Dun we went.


End file.
